ABC Storybook ActivitiesBy: Kirsten HowardED 401 Reading Strategies A. Anticipation Activities 1.A R.L.1.1 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension)Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Before reading through Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, I will have my students look at the cover of the book and study the title. I will then ask them to think of reasons why Alexander could be having such a bad day in this book. For example, I can have a bad day when I wake up later than I wanted to wake up. Maybe Alexander woke up later than he had wanted to that day as well. I will have the students recall times when they have had bad days and what the cause of their bad day was. We will then work together to create a class web on mindmeister.com. The username is: ReadingStrategies and the password is education. Our web will contain a list of all of the reasons we develop as to why we have bad days and sub-categories of what may happen as a result of these unfortunate events. 2.A L.1.4 Vocabulary Acquisition and Use (Vocabulary) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
Following the web activity, I will have my students begin to explore the new vocabulary that they will be encountering in this book. We will begin with this "quiz" that I have created on MyStudiyo.com, although this will not be a graded quiz. I will have the students work together as a group to try and determine which answer is the correct meaning of the vocabulary word. After they have come up with their guess and we have determined whether it was the right or wrong answer, we will discuss how to use the word in a sentence. The students will take out their vocabulary journals and copy down the definition and a sentence using that vocabulary word (I will write the definition for each term on the board and a sentence with the term used in it so the students can see what they need to write and copy based on what I have done). 3.A R.L.1.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Comprehension)Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, settings, or events.
Blabberize As a final Anticipation activity, we will be taking a picture walk through Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. To introduce the picture walk, I have blabberized Alexander so that there will be a more interesting and memorable introductory activity before the picture walk. It is important to help students activate prior knowledge before reading. By going through the illustrations, the students will be able to make predictions about what things might happen during Alexander's day to make it so terrible. I will ask questions such as, "What do you think happened to Alexander on this page based on his facial expressions or on the facial expressions of those around him?" I will encourage the students to ask questions as well as this will promote discussion and learning from one another, not just by listening to me do the talking. Assessment of Anticipation Section
Assessment of learning in this phase is based mostly on informal observations, such as classroom participation and engagement. I will take note of which students put forth effort to fill out the "Bad day" web and participate in the think aloud activity. I will also check through the journals of each student to make sure that they have listed the vocabulary words, definitions, and sentences containing the vocabulary words.
B. Building Knowledge Activities
1.B R.F.1.2 Phonological Awareness (Phonics)Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
While reading through the story, there are several new sounding words that the students are encountering. There are many words that start with the letter "t." For an activity to help them build their knowledge, the students will be responding to the voice thread example that I have created. They each must create a sentence that uses at least three words that begin with the "t" sound. Before the activity, we can work as a class to brainstorm words that begin with the letter "t." Before the students respond to the thread, they each must come and show me the sentence so that I can approve it. Then they will each take turns responding to the voicethread on the classroom computer. 2.B R.L.1.2 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension) Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. R.L.1.3 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension) Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
To help the students differentiate between main ideas and supporting details, we will work together as a group to complete the "Burger Diagram." In a burger, you have the essential parts: the top bun, the meat, and the bottom bun. These parts match up with the main ideas that are found in the story. However, burgers often also have ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, etc. These parts are paired with supporting details. While recalling a story, we need to ensure that we retain the main points of the story as well as some of the supporting details found within the story-line. Although I completed this diagram that I have posted on this page, the class would work together to outline the main ideas first. These would need to be placed on the burger as a top priority. Examples of the main ideas are that Alexander was having a terrible day, starting when he work up and lasting all the way through till he went to bed. Another main idea is that bad days happen no matter who you are or where you live. They are a part of life. Supporting details would be the specific events which caused Alexander to have a terrible day, such as being scrunched in the car, falling in the mud, and being forced to eat lima beans for dinner. Through this exercise, students will be able to review the story as well as begin to understand the difference between main ideas in a story and the smaller details.
3.B R.L.1.1 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension) Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
The students will now work in small groups on a cause and effect worksheet. We will discuss what cause and effect means and do the first example together as a full class. Then the students will work in small groups to fill in the final three cause and effect boxes. We will get back together as a full group and discuss our answers, going back to the book to verify our findings and support our ideas. Through this exercise, the students will begin to understand how actions have consequences that are visible and can vary among different individuals. As the students are just being introduced to the topic of cause and effect, they will focus on deciding the effects from the book based on a given cause. In a following lesson on a different book, students will learn how to find the cause based on a given effect. Finally, after they have learned how to work both ways (from a given cause to an effect and from a given effect to a cause) the students will practice these skills on a sheet that has many different examples working from both a given cause to effect and given effect to cause.
Assessment of Building Knowledge Section
Students will be formally assessed as to their posts on the Voicethread. I will grade them on their completion of the assignment as well as on their ability to follow directions (include three "t" words in their sentences).
I will also grade the students informally by their participation in completing the "Burger" diagram. I will assess their understanding of cause and effect (specifically focusing on finding the effect from a given cause) based on their answers on the worksheet as well as their group work and participation.
C. Consolidating Activities
1.C R.L.1.2 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension) Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
As our first Consolidation activity, the students will receive this worksheet which will also be seen up on the SmartBoard. The students will work together as a class to place the events listed on the sheet in order. Students will take turns coming to the SmartBoard and moving the objects. We will first attempt to complete this assignment from our memory, but then we will check our answers with the book. After we are sure the answers are correct, we will fill out our individual worksheets so that we all have the events placed in the correct order. This is an important activity to ensure students can recall details from the text and can work together as a group to solve a problem. 2.C W.1.6 Production and Distribution of Writing (Comprehension)With guidance and support form adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Newspaper As a class, after reading the story we will work together to create a newspaper about our worst day ever and what all our worst days have in common. Through this process, we will reinforce what we learned from the book, continuing to make connections with our own lives. Students will be split into groups of four and they will share ideas about what happens on their worst days. They will then work together to write a newspaper article (with the help of the teacher of course!). After they have come up with a draft, they will present it to me, and I will read through it to ensure that it is appropriate and fitting with the topic. Then each group will have a chance to type their articles into fodey.com to generate their own newspaper articles. This will help not only with relating to the text but will also enhance their writing skills. (Above is an example of an article that I created which I would share with the class to help them understand what I am looking for in their completed work.) 3.C R.L.1.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Comprehension) Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories. R.L.1.10 Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity (Comprehension, Vocabulary, Phonics, Fluency) With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade 1.
As a final activity, I will direct the class to my Shelfari book shelf. On this book shelf, I have placed books written by Judith Viorst as well as other books that deal with having bad days. Each student will look at my book shelf and read the reviews for each of the books on the shelf. After they have read the reviews, the each student will pick their top three books they would like to read and let me know which books they have decided. I will compile a list of the books picked and place the students into groups according to which book they would like to read. These groups will read through their book over the next two reading classes. We will then come together as a big group and do text-to-text comparisons. This will help students begin to realize that books can be related to other books and that they need to constantly be building upon their experiences and previous knowledge. The groups will then create a Venn diagram comparing Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day with the book that they chose. This will help them to visually see the similarities and differences in the texts that they read. Assessment of Consolidation Section
I will assess the sequence of events activity formally and informally. I will look over the students worksheets to ensure that they have been completed and were done appropriately. I will also assess their classroom participation and contributions on completing this activity.
I will formally assess the Newspaper activity. The students will be graded on originality, following guidelines, and completing the assignment appropriately. I will look for them to include classroom examples of bad days to ensure that they were listening and remembering previous class discussions.
Finally, I will assess the students on their understanding of text-to-text connections based on their Venn diagrams. After the students have read through their second book, I will informally assess their classroom participation in discussion of the different books. I will look over the group diagrams to make sure that they understand how books can be similar and different.
ABC Storybook ActivitiesBy: Kirsten HowardED 401 Reading Strategies
A. Anticipation Activities
1.A R.L.1.1 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension)Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Before reading through Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, I will have my students look at the cover of the book and study the title. I will then ask them to think of reasons why Alexander could be having such a bad day in this book. For example, I can have a bad day when I wake up later than I wanted to wake up. Maybe Alexander woke up later than he had wanted to that day as well. I will have the students recall times when they have had bad days and what the cause of their bad day was. We will then work together to create a class web on mindmeister.com. The username is: ReadingStrategies and the password is education. Our web will contain a list of all of the reasons we develop as to why we have bad days and sub-categories of what may happen as a result of these unfortunate events.
2.A L.1.4 Vocabulary Acquisition and Use (Vocabulary)
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
Following the web activity, I will have my students begin to explore the new vocabulary that they will be encountering in this book. We will begin with this "quiz" that I have created on MyStudiyo.com, although this will not be a graded quiz. I will have the students work together as a group to try and determine which answer is the correct meaning of the vocabulary word. After they have come up with their guess and we have determined whether it was the right or wrong answer, we will discuss how to use the word in a sentence. The students will take out their vocabulary journals and copy down the definition and a sentence using that vocabulary word (I will write the definition for each term on the board and a sentence with the term used in it so the students can see what they need to write and copy based on what I have done).
3.A R.L.1.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Comprehension)Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, settings, or events.
Blabberize
As a final Anticipation activity, we will be taking a picture walk through Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. To introduce the picture walk, I have blabberized Alexander so that there will be a more interesting and memorable introductory activity before the picture walk. It is important to help students activate prior knowledge before reading. By going through the illustrations, the students will be able to make predictions about what things might happen during Alexander's day to make it so terrible. I will ask questions such as, "What do you think happened to Alexander on this page based on his facial expressions or on the facial expressions of those around him?" I will encourage the students to ask questions as well as this will promote discussion and learning from one another, not just by listening to me do the talking.
Assessment of Anticipation Section
B. Building Knowledge Activities
1.B R.F.1.2 Phonological Awareness (Phonics)Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
While reading through the story, there are several new sounding words that the students are encountering. There are many words that start with the letter "t." For an activity to help them build their knowledge, the students will be responding to the voice thread example that I have created. They each must create a sentence that uses at least three words that begin with the "t" sound. Before the activity, we can work as a class to brainstorm words that begin with the letter "t." Before the students respond to the thread, they each must come and show me the sentence so that I can approve it. Then they will each take turns responding to the voicethread on the classroom computer.
2.B R.L.1.2 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension)
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
R.L.1.3 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension)
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
Click here for larger version
Cheeseburger "Graph"
To help the students differentiate between main ideas and supporting details, we will work together as a group to complete the "Burger Diagram." In a burger, you have the essential parts: the top bun, the meat, and the bottom bun. These parts match up with the main ideas that are found in the story. However, burgers often also have ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, etc. These parts are paired with supporting details. While recalling a story, we need to ensure that we retain the main points of the story as well as some of the supporting details found within the story-line. Although I completed this diagram that I have posted on this page, the class would work together to outline the main ideas first. These would need to be placed on the burger as a top priority. Examples of the main ideas are that Alexander was having a terrible day, starting when he work up and lasting all the way through till he went to bed. Another main idea is that bad days happen no matter who you are or where you live. They are a part of life. Supporting details would be the specific events which caused Alexander to have a terrible day, such as being scrunched in the car, falling in the mud, and being forced to eat lima beans for dinner. Through this exercise, students will be able to review the story as well as begin to understand the difference between main ideas in a story and the smaller details.
3.B R.L.1.1 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension)
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
The students will now work in small groups on a cause and effect worksheet. We will discuss what cause and effect means and do the first example together as a full class. Then the students will work in small groups to fill in the final three cause and effect boxes. We will get back together as a full group and discuss our answers, going back to the book to verify our findings and support our ideas. Through this exercise, the students will begin to understand how actions have consequences that are visible and can vary among different individuals. As the students are just being introduced to the topic of cause and effect, they will focus on deciding the effects from the book based on a given cause. In a following lesson on a different book, students will learn how to find the cause based on a given effect. Finally, after they have learned how to work both ways (from a given cause to an effect and from a given effect to a cause) the students will practice these skills on a sheet that has many different examples working from both a given cause to effect and given effect to cause.
Assessment of Building Knowledge Section
C. Consolidating Activities
1.C R.L.1.2 Key Ideas and Details (Comprehension)
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
As our first Consolidation activity, the students will receive this worksheet which will also be seen up on the SmartBoard. The students will work together as a class to place the events listed on the sheet in order. Students will take turns coming to the SmartBoard and moving the objects. We will first attempt to complete this assignment from our memory, but then we will check our answers with the book. After we are sure the answers are correct, we will fill out our individual worksheets so that we all have the events placed in the correct order. This is an important activity to ensure students can recall details from the text and can work together as a group to solve a problem.
2.C W.1.6 Production and Distribution of Writing (Comprehension)With guidance and support form adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
As a class, after reading the story we will work together to create a newspaper about our worst day ever and what all our worst days have in common. Through this process, we will reinforce what we learned from the book, continuing to make connections with our own lives. Students will be split into groups of four and they will share ideas about what happens on their worst days. They will then work together to write a newspaper article (with the help of the teacher of course!). After they have come up with a draft, they will present it to me, and I will read through it to ensure that it is appropriate and fitting with the topic. Then each group will have a chance to type their articles into fodey.com to generate their own newspaper articles. This will help not only with relating to the text but will also enhance their writing skills. (Above is an example of an article that I created which I would share with the class to help them understand what I am looking for in their completed work.)
3.C R.L.1.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (Comprehension)
Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
R.L.1.10 Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity (Comprehension, Vocabulary, Phonics, Fluency)
With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade 1.
As a final activity, I will direct the class to my Shelfari book shelf. On this book shelf, I have placed books written by Judith Viorst as well as other books that deal with having bad days. Each student will look at my book shelf and read the reviews for each of the books on the shelf. After they have read the reviews, the each student will pick their top three books they would like to read and let me know which books they have decided. I will compile a list of the books picked and place the students into groups according to which book they would like to read. These groups will read through their book over the next two reading classes. We will then come together as a big group and do text-to-text comparisons. This will help students begin to realize that books can be related to other books and that they need to constantly be building upon their experiences and previous knowledge. The groups will then create a Venn diagram comparing Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day with the book that they chose. This will help them to visually see the similarities and differences in the texts that they read.
Assessment of Consolidation Section